Monday, May 1, 2017

A Good Day For Soup

I don't think the temperature got much over 36 degrees today. And it has been raining off and on for a couple of days. I won't complain. The worst of the weather went around us and that included snow. Any time the snow gives us a miss, I am happy. But the chilly, wet weather is most definitely good soup making weather.

Friday before my dance watching marathon, I dug four ham bones out of the freezer, tossed them into my biggest stock pot, covered them with water and simmered them most of the day. I picked the meat from the bones and strained the resulting broth. There was enough good, rich ham broth to cook up three bags of split peas, which I did today. I added some diced carrots from the freezer, a couple of handfuls of my dehydrated onions, some garlic powder and the ham pieces. I let the soup simmer all afternoon and then ladled it into pint jars. I got 16 pints of split pea and ham soup, with enough left over for supper.

I have about 20 lbs. of hamburger in the freezer, so tonight I will take that out to thaw and can it up tomorrow. Seems like whenever I take something out of the freezer to can, I find more food underneath it that needs to be processed. I still have cranberries that were under the hamburger, so dealing with them is my next project. Maybe if I keep at it, I might actually find the bottom of my freezer. Maybe.

20 comments:

LOL - bottom of the freezer.What is that!! I'm sure it's down there somewhere.Split pea soup is one of my favorites. I made some with my Easter ham. I just happened to have picked some kale from the garden and added that in. A winner - another use for kale. I grow kale mostly because I know it's good for me and grows like a weed. Finding things I like to eat it in is slowly coming.Hope your grand did well over the weekend. I'm sure you had a great time watching her compete.Yesterday was glorious. Today it was a wet mess. So it goes here in the spring. I'm always walking my dog - today I forgot to put his raincoat on so I had a very wet dog when we got home.Today was the 10% once a month sale at one grocery store. Found a few good deals but the prices just seem to keep rising. The other local store has their sale day tomorrow. Hopefully I'll do better there.Take care - SJ

SJ...The last time I saw the bottom of my chest freezer was when it was brand new!! I need to find it, though, because Duane and I have been talking about splitting half a beef and half a hog later on this year. He will need to get a small freezer, too, but in the long run, it will be worth it.

I am the only one here who likes split pea and ham soup. I can it because making a batch of it results in too much to eat at one time. A pint of soup and a sandwich makes a quick easy meal.

I have never tried kale. I probably would like it. I like other greens like spinach and beet greens. I have heard of some who dehydrate kale for kale chips.

Boston did really well at her competition. Her solo got the highest marks and the group dances scored well, too. She called me today to see how I liked her solo. She really is good at what she does. She promised to let me know if any other competitions are live streamed.

Oh dear. Wet dog. When I had Yorkies, I always threatened to get them little yellow slickers complete with sou'wester hats. Never did. Should have. :)

I wish the stores here had sale days. No such luck. I have another week before I order groceries again. Hopefully I will have my inventory of canned foods done so I know what I need to stock up on. Have to be careful. No more room for any more shelves!! You are right. Prices just keep going up an up and up.

Jenn...This live streaming technology is definitely a good thing. I had a rip roaring good time watching Boston dance. I like having jars of soup on my shelves. Sometimes I will eat it for lunch with a sandwich (grilled cheese is my favorite, too) or sometimes I will thicken the chicken vegetable soup and have it over biscuits. So many ways to use it.

It was bout 72 today, a far cry from the high 80s we had last week. I made soup, too. Right now, I only have the freezer above the refrigerator, but I was shocked to find more food underneath what I took out. I cook food for my friend, exbf, who helps me so much and always has. Tonight, I sent him home with three pounds of carrots cooked in crockpot, pint of bean soup, one cooked potato, and eight cooked chicken legs. The rest of the soup is frozen for another day.

I found blueberries! I need to do something with those since blueberries will be here, soon.

Linda...I like the convenience of a freezer, but I tend to forget after awhile what is in it. Talking about the food you sent home with exbf reminded me that I think I have some chicken legs buried somewhere in my freezer. If I can find them, a crockpot of chicken and dumplings sounds good to me. Wish someone would send all that good food home with me!I think if I found blueberries I would have to make jam - one of my favorites.

Vicki,No one EVER sends food home with me! Jam is in the front of my mind or a blueberry pie. I have to have an upright freezer because of back and shoulders. It is much easier not to lose food in there because I put different things on different shelves. If I had a chest freezer, I would NEVER use stuff on the bottom.

Linda...I'm lucky in that my son will bring me food now and then. Helps that he lives in the apartment right down the hall from me. Last night he knew I had been busy all day so he brought me tacos he had made. They were delicious.

I can reach almost to the bottom of my freezer and I use a pair of tongs to help me reach. But if I still can't reach what I want to get, I call my son. At over 6 ft. tall, he can reach anything. Otherwise I would need an upright freezer. If he ever moves I'm going to have to do things differently. :)

Love your story about the yellow slickers on your Yorkies. I saw my dog's rain jacket on clearance for $20 and bought it. Best $20 ever spent! Goldens are such sponges - it seems like the water just jumps up and stays.As for kale - I finally found a variety I like after finding a few I didn't like. I've tried kale chips many times and know without a doubt that I don't like them. Good on the people who do but I'm not one of them. So I was really glad to find that I liked it in split pea soup - cut in thin strips and added at the end. My usual method is to strip off the leaves from the stems and saute in olive oil and garlic. I also have a polenta casserole that uses greens as the middle layer.Taking the dog in for a groom today. Waiting for a coupon before I get my own hair cut. LOL. It's all a matter of priorities, right.And, yes, I'm really lucky to have two chain grocery stores that each offer an extra 10% off one day each month. One store also price matches in addition but I didn't have anything to price match yesterday.Buying your own beef and pork sounds dreamy. I bought pork like that once and still remember the smoked pork chops we got in the order. Cheers, SJ

SJ...I remember from the time I worked at the dog grooming shop, that it always took forever to dry the Goldens after a bath. I liked working with that breed. They were always so friendly.

I can order kale from my grocery and I might do that just to see if I like it. Doesn't hurt to try new things.

Priorities. Yep. Dogs always went to the groomer before I went for a haircut. Now I just let my hair grow and get one of the kids to whack some off the bottom now and then. ;)

I know it is spendy to buy half a beef or pork, but it is worth it because it usually figures out to be cheaper per pound than buying it in the store. And we know where the meat comes from and that it is not full of chemicals. Duane and I are each putting some cash away every month so we have the money come fall. Seems like meat bought directly from the farmer is so much better than store bought. Now you have me drooling over the thought of smoked pork chops. :)

SJ...I'm scared to try. Years ago I wore bangs. Whenever I tried to trim them myself, I wound up with bangs maybe an inch long from trying to even them out.

As a single mother of four young children, I tried to save money by cutting their hair myself. When I finished, they looked like an insane weed whacker had been at them. I had to take all four for professional haircuts. I'm surprised they weren't traumatized for life. :)

It's really nice here today. Perfect weather. The wife and I went out for a nice walk and are taking it easy this afternoon. I was just wondering what I should have for a late lunch, and soup sounds good. I've got a spiral cut ham with some ham left on it, and some Lima beans .I think I will cook up a good ham soup.

Harry...Glad to hear your weather is so nice. It is good the two of you could get out and enjoy it. It is finally starting to warm up some here, after several cold days of rain. The snow missed us and I am grateful for that. By the end of the week I should be able to open windows some.

I just used my ham bones for split pea soup. But ham and bean soup will be made when I get another ham. That's one of my favorites. I still have 3 quarts of it on my shelves, and now that you mention it, I'm kind of hungry for it. Might have to open a jar for supper and make some cornbread. It seems the older I get, the more I enjoy the old tried and true recipes like ham and beans.

About Me

Mom of four and Grandma of six, who writes about family events both past and present as well as anything else that happens to come to mind, shares new photos as well as old and who enjoys life in general.